Left-back responds to Liverpool transfer rumors as stance made perfectly clear
Liverpool-linked El Hadji Malick Diouf, the Slavia Praha left-back, has insisted he would only consider a transfer move to a team where he was guaranteed playing time with Arne Slot's man having been tipped to swoop for his services.
Valued at around $26m (£21m/€25m), the 20-year-old was linked with Liverpool by the Senegalese news outlet D Sports last week. Andy Robertson is not having an easy season, and therefore plenty of left-sided defenders are likely to be suggested as possible targets over the next few months.
"I can see what is happening around me, but I am definitely not distracted by it," Diouf told the Czech outlet iDNES when asked about his future. "I am concentrating on myself, on Slavia, and I have no reason to rush. I told my uncle, who is my agent, the same thing. He knows everything."
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Liverpool would need a player to come in and instantly improve its starting XI, which is not easy. And there other possible options who already have Premier League experience, including Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez.
"I know that one day I will take the next step," Diouf added. "That day is approaching, but I have to be convinced that it is happening at the ideal moment so as not to slow down my development.
"I don’t know if that is true (about Liverpool). Yes, it sounds nice, but would I play for Liverpool? Would I fit in there? For me, it is essential that I don’t stop. It is difficult to move from the substitutes’ bench. I need to play."
Liverpool.com says: Left-back should be a priority position for the Reds in the summer but one of the existing options would have to leave to free up space. That might not be easy with Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas both under contract.
